“We are keeping a close eye on the Admiral Kuznetsov as it skulks back to Russia; a ship of shame whose mission has only extended the suffering of the Syrian people.

We are man-marking these vessels every step of the way around the UK as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe.”

On this occasion, RAF Typhoon were also launched to monitor the Russian warships as they transit near to UK waters in order to ‘ensure that their activity is monitored and executed safely in accordance with international procedures’.